REVIEW: The New Roku Streaming Stick Is Awesome And Costs Half The Price Of The Apple TVhttp://www.businessinsider.com/roku-streaming-stick-hdmi-review-2014-4/comments
en-usWed, 31 Dec 1969 19:00:00 -0500Sun, 02 Aug 2015 19:12:22 -0400Ryan Busheyhttp://www.businessinsider.com/c/5342c18becad043b5a4063e0KWilmoMon, 07 Apr 2014 11:17:31 -0400http://www.businessinsider.com/c/5342c18becad043b5a4063e0
"Those channels include the usual fair, like Netflix and Amazon Instant . . ." You mean "the usual fare."http://www.businessinsider.com/c/53427742eab8ea07186d57d5ShelwoodMon, 07 Apr 2014 06:00:34 -0400http://www.businessinsider.com/c/53427742eab8ea07186d57d5
If you want to send content from your Win7 computer to a Roku, you have the choice of using a number of apps, including Plex, Playon, or Real Player (which also has an option of uploading your videos to their cloud and playing them on the Roku), among others. A couple of models, including the Roku 3, have USB ports for directly plugging in a flash or hard drive, and allow you to play certain formats (MP4, MKV). However, Rokus are primarily designed for wifi streaming. Not all of them require subscriptions, though the content is pretty limited for the non-subscription channels. Some content is also offered ala carte.
If you don't really want to stream anything but your local media, you might be better off with a WDTV or some type of HTPC setup like a Raspberry PI running Linux hooked up to a hard drive.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/534227366bb3f7821c5bc244hammermanMon, 07 Apr 2014 00:19:02 -0400http://www.businessinsider.com/c/534227366bb3f7821c5bc244
I really dont know who these are marketed to?
My main TV is Miracast/DLNA enabled so my laptops, android device, wifes phone, friends tablet (anyone who connects to my WIFI can pick and chose whos screen and audio to mimic on it.
My bedroom TV is a bit older and not wifi enabled but the sony surround sound that is hooked it it is...So that has Netflix and everything apple tv, roku or any other steaming box has built in. Also if I dont want to use the remote I can use my phone because sony provides an app that allows this and allows you to push content to and from the network as well.
Then there's the small old LCD screen in my kitchen, not internet enabled not even in HD...I suppose I could buy something for it, but kinda pointless since it never gets used or is only 23 inches...If I did, i would just buy a miracast dongle from ebay for $25 and skip all this duplicate technology these companies makehttp://www.businessinsider.com/c/5341a46a6bb3f74b555bc246johnsmith012Sun, 06 Apr 2014 15:00:58 -0400http://www.businessinsider.com/c/5341a46a6bb3f74b555bc246
America is run by the corporation so competition is out of the questionhttp://www.businessinsider.com/c/5341690aeab8eaf57b101c53JachSun, 06 Apr 2014 10:47:38 -0400http://www.businessinsider.com/c/5341690aeab8eaf57b101c53
Sounds great but a topic that's usually not covered in reviews is one that I'm sure a lot of people are concerned with.
Can you, right out of the box, stream movies(regardless of where they "came from") from your computer drive. In my case, that would be a Windows 7 64bit.
I noticed that with the prior Roku "stick" it wasn't a clear cut answer..something about needing a "Plex" streamer or something like that.
Very confusing and yet a very important distinction to make...
So, does that work effortlessly with this second version..right out of the box?
All these "channels" like Amazon, Netflix, Hulu..etc..etc. are the first things mentioned in any review.
And that's great and all, but no doubt there are many people who don't subscribe to them..at least, presently.
Thanks in advance and looking forward to getting some feedback.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/534027f96da8111e1162d51cSweetDougSat, 05 Apr 2014 11:57:45 -0400http://www.businessinsider.com/c/534027f96da8111e1162d51c
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I'm a little ignorant on the streaming box thing (I don't have cable or such) but I'm hearing bitching and moaning from the networks, regarding paying for access across the cable networks.
Why can't I pay them a subscription fee directly, to stream their network?
What do I need cable for then?
And none of this $29.95 a month garbage. ABC, CBS et cetera ad nauseum? 49¢ a month à la carte. Heck, I can get most of them with an OTA in HD aerial for free.
Give me the specialty channels for a couple of bucks a month.
Competition.
Cable would be dead in a 3 years.
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V-Vhttp://www.businessinsider.com/c/53401ea76bb3f7db05030179sdwinderSat, 05 Apr 2014 11:17:59 -0400http://www.businessinsider.com/c/53401ea76bb3f7db05030179
And Chromecast costs $35!!! tough to beat.http://www.businessinsider.com/c/53401afa6da811cf5e62d51efreddy beeSat, 05 Apr 2014 11:02:18 -0400http://www.businessinsider.com/c/53401afa6da811cf5e62d51e
the chromecast doesn't cast from a pc or device to the TV. you use a pc, mac, ios, android device to tell the cast to download direct from the internet. chromecast connects to netflix and streams directly - no drain on PC/Android battery at all. the only time it sends from device is if you're using an app like allcast or if you're casting a tab on a web browser.
in summary, it's the best of ROKU and the best of Apple TV in one.